After the Bath (large version)

After the Bath (large version) is a powerful transfer lithograph created by Edgar Degas French, 1834-1917, between 1891 and 1892. This striking print exemplifies Degas’s late focus on the intime moments of women’s lives, often captured in the privacy of their toilettes. The technique utilized is a transfer lithograph, executed using rich black ink on ivory wove plate paper. This sophisticated process allowed the artist significant flexibility, enabling him to rework and adapt his compositions across various mediums, frequently revisiting motifs he had established previously in his extensive catalog of pastels and drawings.

A leading figure of French Impressionism, Degas spent the final decades of the nineteenth century concentrating on capturing movement and the human form in domestic settings, moving away from public subjects like dancers and racehorses. The composition is characterized by strong outlines and dramatic shadow play, showing a woman toweling herself vigorously, her back turned toward the viewer. This unflinching focus on private, unposed moments cemented Degas’s reputation for radical modernity within the influential art circles of France.

This large format version of the subject, classified among his most significant graphic prints, offers collectors and researchers vital insight into the artist's prolific output during this crucial period of his career. The piece currently resides in the permanent collection of the Art Institute of Chicago, making it a key example of the masterworks available today through public domain initiatives.